A luxury SUV driven by Tiger Woods crashed and rolled over in Southern California on Tuesday morning. The golf superstar was seriously injured, the authorities and his agent said.
According to a statement posted on his Twitter account, Woods is “awake, reacting and recovering in his hospital room” after an emergency operation.
Dr. Anish Mahajan, chief medical officer and interim CEO of Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, said Woods sustained “significant orthopedic injuries” to his right lower leg.
A rod was introduced to stabilize his tibia and femoral bones, while a “combination of screws and pins” was used to stabilize injuries to the bones of his foot and ankle, the statement said on Woods’ Twitter account.
Woods, who was the only person in the Genesis GV80 SUV, was trapped in the wreckage that occurred after hitting a mean mean on the road and then crashed into a paintbrush just before 7:12 a.m. PT. A neighbor of the crash scene named 911.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Woods was “traveling at a relatively higher speed than normal”.
Woods was freed from the vehicle by firefighters and then taken to Harbor UCLA, a major trauma center.
Villanueva said at a press conference that MPs responding to the scene saw “no sign of impairment” on Woods.
Since there was no sign of impairment, Villaneuva said, “There was no effort to draw blood in the hospital.”
Woods was conscious and able to communicate with MPs.
“I spoke to him. I asked his name. He told me his name was Tiger and that was when I recognized him straight away,” deputy Carlos Gonzalez told reporters.
“It is very lucky that Mr. Woods got out alive,” said Gonzalez.
The scene of the accident on the border between Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes is known to the police due to the frequency of the accidents and the tendency of drivers to exceed the speed limit.
The front end of the SUV was destroyed. Woods likely survived the single car accident because the interior of the SUV was left intact, an official said. The Genesis has 10 airbags.
Woods was wearing a seat belt during the crash, officials said.
They also said there were no skid marks on the scene and “no signs of braking”.
LA County Sheriff’s officers are investigating an accident involving golfer Tiger Woods on Hawthorne Blvd. in Rancho Palos Verdes, February 23, 2021.
Wally Skalij | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images
Woods, 45, was at Rolling Hills Resort last week after hosting the Genesis Invitational tournament. He shot under a contract with Golf Digest and the Discovery Channel.
His agent, Mark Steinberg, said in a statement, “Tiger Woods was in a car accident in California this morning in which he sustained multiple leg injuries.”
“He is currently in surgery and we thank you for your privacy and assistance,” Steinberg said.
Last month Woods announced that he had “recently” had a fifth microdisectomy on his back to remove a pressurized disc fragment that caused him pain during the PNC championship in Orlando, Florida in December, the last competition prepared.
He played in this tournament with his 11 year old son Charlie. The duo came in seventh.
“I’m looking forward to starting training and focusing on getting back on tour,” Woods said in a January statement.
Tiger Woods watches from the 18th hole during the final round of the Genesis Invitational golf tournament at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California on February 21, 2021.
Brian Rothmüller | Icon Sportswire | Getty Images
The resident of Jupiter, Florida has won 82 PGA titles, most of which were related to Sam Snead. He has won 15 major championships, including five Masters tournaments.
PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan said in a statement: “”We were made aware of the Tiger Woods car accident today. We are waiting for more information when he comes out of the operation. “
“On behalf of the PGA TOUR and our players, Tiger is in our prayers and will have our full support when he recovers,” said Monahan.
Sportswear giant Nike, which sponsors Woods, said in a statement: “We follow the news all around Tiger and our thoughts and hearts are with him and his family at this time.”
Woods Equipment and Club Sponsor TaylorMade Gold said: “We are shocked at the news of Tiger Woods’ accident this morning and send our thoughts and prayers to him, his family and his team as they assist him through his operation recovery . “
Wood’s stellar career was shaken in November 2009 when he crashed an SUV into a fire hydrant one morning outside his then home in Windermere, Florida.
Woods was knocked unconscious for more than five minutes in that accident, and his then-wife, Elin Nordegren, reportedly used a golf club to smash a window in the vehicle and pull it out.
After this mysterious crash, Woods is said to have had numerous extramarital affairs. Soon after, he entered a Mississippi clinic for treatment.
In May 2017, Woods was accused of driving under the Florida influence after police discovered him sleeping in a damaged car. He later apologized and issued a statement to several reporters saying that he assumed full responsibility for the arrest, which he attributed to “an unexpected reaction” to a mixture of prescribed drugs.
“I want the public to know it’s not alcohol,” Woods said at the time.
“I would like to wholeheartedly apologize to my family, friends and fans. I also expect more from myself,” said Woods. “I will do everything in my power to make sure this never happens again.”
A month after this arrest, Woods entered a clinic for treatment for problems with prescription pain medication and a sleep disorder.
Steinberg said at the time that Woods used pain medication to get up and move around while he was recovering from four back surgeries.
Senior golfer Justin Thomas choked on Tuesday speaking about Woods at a press conference.
“I have a stomach problem. It hurts to see that one of my closest friends is in an accident and I just hope he’s okay,” Thomas told reporters. “I’m just worried about his children. I’m sure they are fighting.”
Woods was spotted on social media on a golf course with former Miami Heat basketball star Dwyane Wade on Monday.
Actor David Spade also tweeted a photo of himself with Woods on the course on Monday.
On Sunday, during an interview with CBS Sports, Woods was asked if he would play at the Georgia Masters tournament in August.
“God I hope so,” said Woods.
“I have to get there first. Much of it is based on my surgeons, my doctors and my therapists, and getting it right because this is the only back I have, so I don’t have much wiggle room here.”
– CNBC’s Jessica Golden, Amanda Macias and Christine Wang contributed to this report.
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